by Dan Moren
All existing Level locks will get Thread support in an update
It’s pretty rare to see new hardware features unlocked by a firmware update, but smart lock maker Level is doing just that: its entire existing line of devices will be getting both Matter and, more interestingly, Thread support in an upcoming release. How the heck does that work? The Verge’s Nathan Edwards explains:
Via email, Level’s co-founder and CTO Ken Goto told The Verge that “all Level Locks are 100% hardware compatible with Matter” and that the 2.4GHz radios inside each Level lock will be upgraded to support Matter over Thread. Goto did not provide a timeline for when this update would be available.
As someone who installed a Level Bolt earlier this year, I’m excited to see it getting Thread. Along with Apple’s updates to the Home app and Matter support, I’m hoping that goes some way towards making the experience more reliable overall.
Sadly, the Bolt doesn’t have any NFC hardware, so it won’t be able to get Home Key support, though Level has released a new version of its more expensive lock, the Level Lock Plus, which does include it.